Mail-carrier.



`PA'IEN'IED MAR.` 31, 1903.

" R. HORST.

MAIL CARRIER.

APPLIUATION FILED DEO. l0. 1902.

' N0 MODEL.

No.. 724,290. PATBNTED MAR. 31', 1903.'

Ef HORST.

MAIL CARRIER.

APPLIGATION FILED DB0. 1o. 1902,

No MODEL. `z SHEETS-SHEET z,

W/ T/VE SSE S.: l N VE N 70H A TTOHNE YS.

UNTTBD STATES PATENT lOFFICE.

ELAM HORST, OF VVOOSTER, OHIO.

MAIL-CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724,290, dated March 31, 1903.

Application tiled December 10, 1902. Serial No. 134,666. (No model.) i

To MZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELAM HORST, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wooster, in the county of Wayne and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Mail-Carrior, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for transporting mail-matter between a dwelling and highway in rural districts, the object being to provide a device of this character of simple inexpensive construction, by means of which delivery and collection of mail-matter will be expedited.

I will describe a mail-carrier embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mail-carrier embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the outer or roadway terminal, and Fig. 3 .is an elevation of the guide or supporting device employed;

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a sheave supported by an arm 2, attached to a dwelling or the like, and on the shaft of this sheave'l is a sprocket-pinion 3, from which a chain 4 extends to a sprocket wheel 5, on which is secured a crank-handle 6. This gear mechanism is arranged in a housing 7 to protect it from the weather. The outer terminal, arranged at the roadway, consists of a sheave 8, having its shaftbearings in arms 9, attached to a post 10, and this sheave is protected from the weather by lneans of a hood 11, supported on the arms 9 and extended over the top of the sheave. The post 10 is arranged at an upward and outward angle from the ground, so that the postmans wagon may be driven underneath the sheave to collect or deliver mail. This post is braced by a rod or cable 12, extended therefrom to an anchor 13, placed in the ground. A cable 14.- A'passes around the sheaves 1 and 8, and this cable is designed to carry the mail-box 15. As here shown, the ends of the cable are attached to a block 16, pointed at its ends, by means of rods or hangers 17.

Arranged between the two terminal-sheaves 1 and 8 is a supporting device for the cable. Thissupporting device consists of sheaves 18, 19, and 20, arranged one above the other. The cable, it will be seen, passes between the sheaves 18 and 19 and back over the sheave 19, and there will be sufficient space between the sheaves 18 and 19 for the passage of the block 16. The upper sheave 2O is designed to prevent the jumping out of the cable from the sheave 19. These several sheaves are arranged in a casing 21, attached to a suitable support. As here shown, the supporting device is attached to a tree 22; but obviously a post may be employed if a tree is not available. It may be here stated also that more than one supporting device may be employed, depending, of course, on the distance the cable has to travel, and, further, it will be understood that the supporting device or devices may be placed at any desired elevation, so that loaded wagons may readily pass underneath the cable. The casing 21 is open at one side to permit the passage of the rods or hangers 17. In Fig. 3 it will be noted that these rods or hangers are bent, so that a portion passes underneath the casing and a portion passes up at one side and thence into the cas-` ing. Over the opening in the casing is arranged a water-shed plate 23.

Arranged on the top of the post 10 are guideplates 24 to receive the mail-box. The mailbox is provided at its front end with a downwardly-swinging door 25, held closed by a spring-hook 26, attached to the top of the box. This top, it will be noted, is round or curved, so that water will not collect thereon. Arranged within the box at opposite sides are shelves 27. These shelves are arranged somewhat above the bottom of the box, and as they are spaced apart the postman may readily remove the mail-matter lodged thereon by placing his hand underneath the shelves or underneath the mail-matter and his thumb on top, even though he is wearing gloves or mittens. An indicating device consisting of a fiag 28 is attached to the box by means of a chain 29. The stalf of this iag is removably placed in perforated lugs 30 on one side of the box. The object of the iiag is to indicate to the postman whether or not mail-matter is contained in the box. When the mail-box is in outward position-that is, when mail-mat- IOO ter is in the box-the flag is to be placed as indicated in Fig. l; but when no mail-1natter is in the box the flag is to be removed from the lugs and allowed to hang at one side of the box. If the postman has matter to deposit in the box, he will place the fiag in position to indicate such fact, so that the occupants of a dwelling may draw in the box and remove the mail-matter.

The sprocket-Wheel 5 is provided with a series of holes 3l, into any one of which a pin 32 may be passed to engage in a perforation in the arln 2, thus holding the mail-box in position, or, in other words, prevent accidental movement of the box. The pin 32 is connected to the arm 2 by means of a chain 33, thus preventing a possible loss of the pin.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A mail carrier comprising inner and outer terminal wheels or sheaves, a cable engaging around the same, a mail-box attached to the cable and having a door at one end, and shelves arranged in said box at opposite sides above the bottom.

2. A mail-carrier comprising an inner-terminal sheave, an outer-terminal sheave, a box-carrying cable extending around said sheaves, and an upwardly and outwardly inclined post supporting the outer-terminal sheave, substantially as specified.

3. A mail-carrier comprising an inner-ter minal sheave, an operating wheel having driving connection with said sheave, a crank attached to said wheel, a housing for sheave and Wheel, an outer-terminal sheave, a hood over said outer-terminal sheave, a cable eX- tending around said sheaves, and a mail-box attached to the cable, substantially as speciA fied.

4. In a mailcarrier, an inner-terminal sheave, an outer-terminal sheave, a cable engaging around said sheaves, a mail-box attached to the cable, a supporting device c0m= prising a casing attached to a support, and having an opening at the front, a water-shed plate over the opening, and sheaves in said casing, substantially as specified.

5. A mailcarrier comprising inner and outer terminal wheels or sheaves, a cable engaging around the same, a mail-box attached to the cable and having a downwardly-swing ing end door, and shelves arranged in said box at opposite sides above the bottom, substantially as specified. i

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

C. A. WEISER, W. E. WEYG-ANDT. 

